“Cantona of His Generation” wants to join Man Utd

In November 1992, Manchester United completed the £1 million signing of forward Eric Cantona in a deal that would certainly be one of the best in the club’s history.

The French managed to score 64 goals in 143 appearances in five years of spells, but it was his ballless antics that made him known as he was at Old Trafford.

In the 1994/95 campaign, the attacker kicked a supporter of the infamous Crystal Palace after being abused when he left the pitch after picking up a red card.

He was then banned for eight months, returned to his next campaign, spending two more years with the Red Devils before leaving in 1997.

But in modern times, boss Reuben Amorim has the opportunity to land another star, labeled as a player similar to the iconic star, due to his own antics.

Latest new additions to United hunting in this window

Over the past few days, United have been trying to strengthen his frontline before 2025/26, which is tied to a move to sign Chelsea star Nicholas Jackson.

There have been no bids yet for the Senegalese international who scored 13 goals in all competitions, but after the arrival of Joao Pedro and Liam Dellup, he may be allowed to leave.

However, other moves have been made in the window, as well, by Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez, through sport witnesses.

They claim that Argentina International is in negotiations over a move to join the Red Devils this summer, and that he even states his desire to move to Old Trafford during the offseason.

The 32-year-old also could be available for a fee in the £40 million area of the window, with Unai Emery’s side preparing to leave if they can land replacements.

Why United’s £40 million target is more important than Watkins

Ollie Watkins has been another solid player on United’s radar over the past few weeks, and the hierarchy wants to pass the quality and depth they want to Amorim in the final third.

The 29-year-old is linked to this window with a £60 million switch to join the Red Devils after scoring 17 goals for Villans in all competitions in 2024/25.

But it’s clearly a big investment in a player coming towards the back end of his professional career, and if he stays with the club for many years it’s definitely not worth resale.

Other options should be considered in such departments. This makes Martinez a more important addition to the club. In particular, consider the situation in such departments.

The current Andre Onana is out with a hamstring injury and may miss the start of the 2025/26 campaign, opening the door for adding investments in such a division.

Labeled as “Cantona of His Generation” by Dougie Critchley of Sky Sports, Martinez has always been a showman in his time in the Premier League, even had an infamous battle with striker Neal Maupay.

Comparing his statistics with the Cameroonians’ statistics from last season, Argentina has far surpassed him in many important areas.

Argentina admitted they had fewer goals around 90, but achieved a higher save percentage and handed the necessary defensive reinforcements to the sides desperately needed for next season.

Martinez has recently been even more impressed, claiming that he has more crosses around 90 than the current United No. 1 last season, offering goalkeepers who can provide Amorim with a commanding presence within his box.

The 32-year-old is also a two-time FIFA Goalkeeper of the Year Award recipient, showing off his ability to play at the top level of European soccer when necessary.

Such experiences are important in clubs’ attempts to set up league tables and challenge European locations in the near future.

While there is no denying Watkins passing an additional focus on the side, Martinez offers an immediate upgrade and fixes it in the location of the problem in the Theatre of Dreams.